So I'm playing with a new group through STAP, and they are reaching the end of the Sea Wryven's Wake.
Now last time I crashed the party's boat and had them haul all the survivors across the Isle, they took that in stride but had ended up telling me that they didn't like the situation they were in. Saying that protecting the civilians really hindered they want for exploration.
My new group is currently about to crash into the Sargasso, and these guys, being such huge horror fans, I'd be silly not to do it. Anyway they have put alot of effort into this ship, I mean, alot. They asked for a list of all crew, made up rotational time tables, drew out their ship in Auto-Cad (or something)- They were right into the planning. So this presents to two problems:
-Crashing their ship will probably have them leap across the table and keelhaul me, but I'd really like them to get a feel for the island.
-I'd like to avoid them having to drag their crew around everywhere, but I'd rather not just kill off the crew that would be very railroady and besides... Avner is still alive.
So any suggestions?
I'm really open to anything through.
That seems like a reasonable solution. Unless they do like my players did and take the entire crew to the Mother-of-All with them (didn't want to leave anyone on the ship to be eaten by the Sargasso monsters; that said, my players were on a third ship they had captured - with a skeleton crew of 6 PCs, Skald, Diamondback, Chunkus the rust monster renamed "Rusty", Father Feres, two captured pirates, and a very restrained Rowyn - and not the Sea Wyvern with the colonists).
The one thing this misses out on is Fogmire. You can solve that by having the crew start getting captured as they make their way south - guided by Urol - and have the PCs stumble upon Olangru's leaving-behinds or a small group of the colonists that got separated or something. They investigate the temple and all that, and then find the remainders at the gate.
Alternatively, the PCs just get stuck in Fogmire and Olangru taunts them without kidnapping anyone, trying to lure them to the temple where he can sacrifice them.
One thing I'll point out is that the party is tasked with retrieving the Sea Wyvern in a later adventure, and it's occupied.
Oooh Fogmire. I had forgot about that, good call Orthos. Perhaps I'll try and have a single crewman or two tag along to the Mother as well. That way the Fogmire may have some victims.
And as I mentioned in my "Line if thinking" the crew is going to eventually crash the Wryven somewhere else, so it will still be occupied later on. No worries Ghetto.
I believe there have been several threads in the past that should cover the case when the Sea Wyvern does not end up wrecked at the Isle.
For instance:
sea wyverns wake questions.
and the appropriately named:
what if the sea wyvern doesn't wreck.
but there should be more.
About the Fogmire Situation: some suggestions are given in the mentioned threads. Or it can occur at a later time, when the players are preparing for the defence of Farshore and tramping around the Isle.
Hagor
You could instead let the Sea Wyvern come to a complete halt because of a complete lack of wind. It happened historically with sailing ships. Try to plan this in such a way that they are running out of food or water on the ship and the PCs have to foray on the island. Then you have an excuse to have them explore the island without wrecking the ship.
Yeah, we did the whole Sea Wyvern/Blue Nixie switcharoo for a very similar reason. The find the Nixie wrecked, most of the crew dead, but evidence that Lavinia and the Jade Ravens ventured into the jungle. So they send Amella in the Wyvern on to Farshore. Along with the party, Urol insists on going, Skald too, and Avner INSISTS on going, bringing his servants and horse (Lavinia, after all, is why he is funding this expedition - he HAS to protect his investment.)
If you want to read how we handled it, please do!.
Yeah, we did the whole Sea Wyvern/Blue Nixie switcharoo for a very similar reason. The find the Nixie wrecked, most of the crew dead, but evidence that Lavinia and the Jade Ravens ventured into the jungle. So they send Amella in the Wyvern on to Farshore. Along with the party, Urol insists on going, Skald too, and Avner INSISTS on going, bringing his servants and horse (Lavinia, after all, is why he is funding this expedition - he HAS to protect his investment.)
If you want to read how we handled it, please do!.
Huuuuuuh. Lavinia's Diary there is a real deal clencher, it allows X much back story to be explained, and the breadcrumbs only lead further into the Isle of Dread.
Huuuuuuh. Lavinia's Diary there is a real deal clencher, it allows X much back story to be explained, and the breadcrumbs only lead further into the Isle of Dread.Yeah, we did the whole Sea Wyvern/Blue Nixie switcharoo for a very similar reason. The find the Nixie wrecked, most of the crew dead, but evidence that Lavinia and the Jade Ravens ventured into the jungle. So they send Amella in the Wyvern on to Farshore. Along with the party, Urol insists on going, Skald too, and Avner INSISTS on going, bringing his servants and horse (Lavinia, after all, is why he is funding this expedition - he HAS to protect his investment.)
If you want to read how we handled it, please do!.
Feel free to make use of the diary, but you might want to edit it to fit your campaign. Our group had a love triangle thing going with Lavinia which is why some of the more recent entries are missing.